First Impressions

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.” Revelation 1:17, 18

When I opened my email this morning and read this daily reading, my initial thought was, well here is another fearsome quote from John’s revelation.  And indeed, when you read bits and pieces of Revelation, and almost any other snippet of Scripture I suppose, it is easy to get first wrong impressions. 

And while first impressions can be telling, they are not always the best measure of truth. So when you read “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” Well, it’s easy to gat a wrong first impression.

Yes, Revelation is a book filled with vivid imagery and stern warnings - all of which are to be taken seriously. But the ultimate context is that John was sharing his Revelation to a struggling people called “The Way” or, as we might call it now, “The Church.”  And in the midst of their struggles and persecutions, Revelation is a book of hope and promise.

So, I read this, and yes, I understand.  I look forward for the day I meet Jesus face to face. And I imagine, my first response is likely to be falling at his feet as though dead. When I come face to face with such pure holiness, I will be confronted with my lack of holiness. And down I will go.

Until….

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.”

And first impressions get altered.

Jesus is a lot of things. He is truth. He is just. He is life. He is the way. He is King. You can add more and more to that list. But scripture is also very clear. He is love.

Here’s my take away this early morning. If you are in Christ, then ‘fear not.’  You are secure. The One who is everything (“the first and the last, and the living one”) loudly proclaims “Fear not.”  Well, at least in my mind, is loudly proclaimed.

In those words I hear, “No matter what is going on, it will be well. I am here, and I know my people.”

It why, in midst or horrible personal tragedy, Horatio Spafford could write words like,

            “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

            Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

            And hath shed His own blood for my soul.”

Fear not. And don’t live on first impressions….

Here is a link to my favorite version of the Horatio Spafford classic…..

IT IS WELL - JARS OF CLAY

Extremes

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." James 5:13

I belong to a strain of the church that is sometimes jokingly (well, maybe its a joke) referred to as 'God's frozen chosen.' But after an emotional, but not bad day yesterday spent with a suffering friend, and anticipating another day I pray is filled with more cheerful emotions, I'm reminded that the moniker given to us Presbyterians while too often reflecting truth, is not what God wants from his people. Life will be filled with extremes, and stoicism isn't always the best reaction to them.

The apostle Paul when describing the Christian life in Romans 12:15 says we are to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Can't help but believe we are to live life to the fullest; and such fullness includes weeping and rejoicing. And, I strongly suspect, Jesus knows all about those extremes. We know, when reading the gospels, Jesus wept. I suspect he laughed as well also. Certainly some of his sermon illustrations seem humorous to me.

On this Lord's day, acknowledge, as you would any other day, what life has given to you. The good...the bad... And don't be afraid to call it out for what it is.

But do remember that the Lord is with you in all of this. In all of it.

Have a great Lord's day everyone!